West Brook sits best players against PN-G

By Avi Zaleon

Updated 9:43 pm, Friday, December 6, 2013

Photo: Jake Daniels

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West Brook players watch their teammates play against Port Neches-Groves on Friday. The West Brook High School boys basketball team played against Port Neches-Groves at the Montagne Center on Friday.
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West Brook players watch their teammates play against Port Neches-Groves on Friday. The West Brook High School boys basketball team played against Port Neches-Groves at the Montagne Center on Friday.
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Photo: Jake Daniels

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West Brook's Brandon Coutte, No. 22, advances the ball during the game against Port Neches-Groves on Friday. The West Brook High School boys basketball team played against Port Neches-Groves at the Montagne Center on Friday.
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West Brook's Brandon Coutte, No. 22, advances the ball during the game against Port Neches-Groves on Friday. The West Brook High School boys basketball team played against Port Neches-Groves at the Montagne ... more

Photo: Jake Daniels

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West Brook's Khyce Randall, No. 3, goes up for a basket in the fourth quarter of Friday's game against Port Neches-Groves. The West Brook High School boys basketball team played against Port Neches-Groves at the Montagne Center on Friday.
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Jake Daniels/@JakeD_in_SETX less

West Brook's Khyce Randall, No. 3, goes up for a basket in the fourth quarter of Friday's game against Port Neches-Groves. The West Brook High School boys basketball team played against Port Neches-Groves at ... more

Photo: Jake Daniels

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Port Neches-Groves' Christian Langston, No. 40, advances past West Brook's Termin Savoy, No. 12, during Friday's game. The West Brook High School boys basketball team played against Port Neches-Groves at the Montagne Center on Friday.
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Jake Daniels/@JakeD_in_SETX less

Port Neches-Groves' Christian Langston, No. 40, advances past West Brook's Termin Savoy, No. 12, during Friday's game. The West Brook High School boys basketball team played against Port Neches-Groves at the ... more

Photo: Jake Daniels

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Port Neches-Groves' John Dubois, No. 10, and West Brook's Termin Savoy, No. 12, vie for control of the ball during Friday's game. The West Brook High School boys basketball team played against Port Neches-Groves at the Montagne Center on Friday.
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Jake Daniels/@JakeD_in_SETX less

Port Neches-Groves' John Dubois, No. 10, and West Brook's Termin Savoy, No. 12, vie for control of the ball during Friday's game. The West Brook High School boys basketball team played against Port ... more

Photo: Jake Daniels

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West Brook's Khyce Randall, No. 3, goes up for a basket against Port Neches-Groves' Jack Giblin, No. 30, during Friday's game. The West Brook High School boys basketball team played against Port Neches-Groves at the Montagne Center on Friday.
Photo taken
Jake Daniels/@JakeD_in_SETX less

West Brook's Khyce Randall, No. 3, goes up for a basket against Port Neches-Groves' Jack Giblin, No. 30, during Friday's game. The West Brook High School boys basketball team played against Port Neches-Groves ... more

Photo: Jake Daniels

West Brook sits best players against PN-G

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Maybe it was disrespectful. Maybe it was merciful. Maybe it was appropriate.

West Brook coach Sam Simon decided to sit his normal starters for the entirety of a 63-29 win against Port Neches-Groves Friday in the second round of the YMBL boys tournament consolation bracket.

Only a few minutes into the game, PN-G coach Pat Abel shouted to his team from the bench, "They're not respecting you right now. They got the second team in."

Hoping to light a fire under the young Indians was a sincere, but fruitless effort. The Bruins (2-4) had the larger school with larger players.

The result of the game was decided even before the ball tipped.

"Taking a charge is like a dunk for us," Abel said.

PN-G drew to within 16 points at halftime, but the game never got closer than that.

West Brook finished the game making 22-of-49 field goals (44.9 percent), while PN-G shot 8-of-36 (22.2 percent).

"We wanted to give the starters a little rest," Simon said. "We were able to play the backups

and help build team morale. It's not too often we were able to do that, but we did that today.

"You want the kids to play hard, but as a coach, you never want to embarrass any kid (referring to opponents) and I will not do that."

Embarrassment might have been breached earlier in the tournament when Dallas South Oak Cliff defeated PN-G by 53 points (90-37) in the first round.

"Playing these better teams is good for us," Abel said. "It's going to help us mature, being very inexperienced. It's a great opportunity, but we have to rise to the occasion as well."

Three West Brook players who scored did not have their jersey number listed on the team's roster included in the tournament program.

The Bruins bench, filled with the team's best players, loved the role reversal as the usual backups filled West Brook's stat sheet.

Bruins senior guard Khyce Randall led all scorers with 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field. PN-G sophomore Jack Giblin hit 3-of-4 shots on his way to nine points, which led the Indians.

The two teams couldn't control the contrasting speed and skill of their rosters. Simon found a way of perhaps closing the margin of a game that could have gotten out of control.

"Our players have to learn that they have to earn a team's respect and no matter which five are on the court, you have to go out an play," Abel said.

PN-G is eliminated and will return to working toward district play. When Abel was asked how he can prevent his team from feeling too low, he wasn't sure what to say.

"I think when you get the answer to that question you'll become a millionaire because a lot of coaches ask the same thing," Abel said. "You hope it doesn't demoralize them, but you also want them to respond."